'alphabet' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'alphabētos', where 'alpha' and 'beta' were the first two letters of the Greek alphabet.

'alphabētos' transformed into the Latin word 'alphabetum', and eventually became the modern English word 'alphabet' through Old French.

Initially, it meant 'the first two letters of the Greek alphabet', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a set of letters representing sounds'.